It was disclosed today that Apple is finally investigating
numerous user complaints that it’s popular iPod Mini has some
serious problems of sound distortions and static or noise when playing
back uploaded music.

As you might remember,
iBook owners rose inunison at Macworld SF to complain of persistent
manufacturing and design flaws that lasted for more than a year in multiple
versions. Apple finally admitted to that problem, too.

Users have reported
consistent noise is generated when areas around the headphone jack is
touched or adjusted. These serious complaints of what appears to be
a manufacturing or design flaw has shown up on numerous bulletin board
sites, like iPodlounge.

The complaints focus
on the distortion that comes and goes, but any pressure as small as
thumb pressure anywhere on iPod mini will make sounds to come back.
One user disassembled an iPod Mini with the problem and found that “
. . small little part that contains headphone and remote jack and metallic
part in the shape of the white plastic top" was the culprit; he
continued “This small part attaches to main iPod board ONLY via
small black connector that sits on the main board. WHAT AN OVERSIGHT
on Apple’s ENGINEER"S PART!!!” Apparently the connector
is attached to the iPod Mini case, but NOT the main board.

A sample of the
many, many complaints were typical of these listed below -

“It started
with the I-trip in the car yesterday, couldn't get a clear channel,
songs were freezing and the sound was just awful... now this morning,
getting ready to go for a run, I put on my headphones and the nightmare
goes on: the

sound is crackling
as if put on a bad radio station.... tried several songs same results.
“I can even hear a vague crackling noise as I turn the music on...
the sound is horribly distorted when I play.“

Another users reported:
“I never had an iPod before the Mini and when I first tried it I
thought the sound was distorted and had crackling.”
Still another two users posted this: “Frankly, I'm disgusted. I
mean this "thing" (which I called the greatest revolution in
my musical life a few days ago) has just died with that audio situation
and hasn't gotten better.”

And the second user wrote, “I went to the Apple store and they replace
my mini. i hope this one last longer, the first one only lasted 35 days!!!
Not a good record. I told the Apple guy that he may expect more complains
about this defect.”

Apple spokeswoman Natalie Sequeira said Tuesday, "Apple is aware
of a few isolated reports online of iPod mini audio static and is looking
into it." She urged users with any problems to contact the company's
technical support.

When the iPod Mini
was announced at MWSF in January to much fan-fare, it quickly became delayed
for release an extra month and then recently Apple told the media that
the world-wide release would be further delayed until July; three months
later than promised.

Did Apple know about
this problem all along, but rushed to release it to retail sales to bolster
company income just ahead of the annual meeting this April?? Makes you
wonder.

Shares of Apple were
down 96 cents, to $27.08, in Tuesday trading on the Nasdaq Stock Market.